HOW DID THE PEAR GET INTO THE BOTTLE

France is known for its superior pears – there is even a pear named after a place, Anjou (or is Anjou named after the pear?)  Here, in the US, most of the pears are grown on the West coast but since I live in New York City, I get mine locally from the Hudson Valley. Mother Nature has a good method of bringing immaculate pears to you.  Most of the pears are picked while still hard unlike most fruits and vegetables because when pears are ripe they bruise easily. Pears improve in texture and flavor after they have been in your fruit bowl at home for some days. They are ready to eat when perfumed and yield to the touch (it depends a little on the variety).


Shapely & Colorful
Pears vary in color from celadon green to beautiful golden hued and some are deep tawny red or brown. Depending on the variety pears are soft and juicy and others are crunchy and fragrant. Pear season starts in July and ends in early Spring in my neck of the woods.

 
(mache salad with pickled Asian pear and pomegranate seeds)

Pear Line Up
Supposedly there are about 5000 pears grown throughout the world.  My favorite
are Nashi pears also called Asian pears.  They are Japanese varieties and are large compared to a usual pear. Nashi are crisp, drippingly juice and very apple-like. They are a lovely companion in salads for a crunchy element. I like to preserve this pear by pickling them; they hold up the sliced shape well and are easy to put into dishes such as grilled steak or fish for a finishing touch. 
   
(left: Asian pear)
(middle: green Comice pear)  
(right: Bosc pear)

Comice pears are my most favorite pear for eating raw. Smooth fleshed and meltingly tender with an exquisite fruit-filled fragrance. If you see ‘em buy ‘em. 

Bosc pears are all around good pears comparable to the russet Potato in savory recipes. They hold their natural shape when baked, roasted or poached (cooked slowly in liquid such as syrup). They are good but not delicious when eaten raw.
I always felt this pear need help with flavoring e.g., red wine poached pears, maple caramelized pears for salads, etc.  So if you feel like dressing up your pears Bosc is a good candidate. 
  
(left: Bosc pear butter with red wine - delicious with cheese)
(right: Bartlett pear poached with vanilla and honey)
 
Bartlett pears are sweet, fragrant, plump and have a succulent yellow flesh. I think of them as avocado-like;  they yield to the touch and have a creaminess to them. Bartlett’s have a gentle palatability when ripened to their fullest.
 
(Seckel pears cooked Zip-Loc style)
 
You’ll meet Seckel pears at the local farmers market. They are petite cute pears about an inch in diameter and have a fruity flavor.  They are my favorite pear for cooking in syrup or canning and are not really meant to be eaten raw.

Zip-Loc Pears Cooked in Red Wine
(recipe for four pears, for dessert or in combination with roast meats such as pork, venison etc.)

1 cup red wine, your favorite or whatever you have left over (maybe your least favorite!)
4 pears such as Bartlett
½ vanilla pod
2 tablespoons honey, such as chestnut
2 pinches cayenne
1 stick cinnamon

1.    Preheat a water bath to 180 degrees Fahrenheit (a pot filled with water on low heat setting - you might have to switch heat settings between off and on during cooking time depending on your stove – a kitchen instant thermometer comes in handy to check temperature).
2.    In a 1-quart sized pot bring red wine to boil then put on the side of the stove to cool.
3.    Peel pears then cut length-wise into four wedges. Remove pear core and seeds with a small knife.
4.    Cut vanilla bean length-wise open then scrape with the back of a knife (this will scrape out black seedy part from vanilla bean).
5.    Combine pears, scraped vanilla pulp, honey, cayenne and cinnamon with red wine then transfer into Zip-loc style bag. Press air out of bag then close and transfer to preheated water bath. Cook pear/red wine mixture (2-½ hours or until pears are soft when pierced with a small knife).
6.    Cool cooked pears in the red wine mixture.

Chef’s Note: Once peeled, pears should be dipped in water and acidified with a squeeze of lemon juice so they don’t change their color. 
 
(Grilled Bartlett pear with venison and lavender)
 

Chef’s Tip: Serve cooked pears with vanilla ice cream or a savory dish such as roasted duck or pork roast.

So to solve the mystery how pears get into the small neck of some bottles, e.g., Poire Williams (a crystal clear pear distillate) ... the bottles are hung onto pear trees over the budding pear fruit which then grows then inside the bottle in its normal pear shape.